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LAKEPORT, Calif. — The Lake County Office of Education celebrates the completion of its first Youth Certified Nursing Assistant, or CNA, Program, with 14 students prepared to take their certification exam and launch their careers in health care.
The graduation ceremony took place on Friday, Aug. 1, at the Kelseyville High School Student Service Center.
The CNA graduates, who are all current high school students or recent graduates, completed an intensive seven-week summer program that prepared them to take the state CNA exam.
During the seven weeks, participants received hands-on clinical training, classroom instruction, and mentorship from experienced health care professionals.
Now that each is certified, students are eligible to work in a variety of health care settings including skilled nursing facilities, assisted living centers, and hospitals.
“This program gave students a fantastic opportunity to explore a career in the medical field and develop real-world skills before they graduate,” said Brock Falkenberg, Lake County Superintendent of Schools. “By preparing them for the workforce while they’re still in high school, we’re helping students take confident steps toward their future, and supporting the needs of our community.”
The Youth CNA Program reflects LCOE’s commitment to helping students succeed by connecting their education to real career opportunities.
“This program gives students a head start on their careers,” said Matt Russell, Director of Adult Education & Career and College Readiness. “It helps them build confidence, earn credentials, and take real steps toward their future.”
To learn more about the CNA Youth Program and other Medical Training Programs offered by the Lake County Office of Education, visit lakecoe.org/mtp.
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- Written by: LAKE COUNTY NEWS REPORTS
KELSEYVILLE, Calif. — Kelseyville Unified School District is pleased to welcome Rick Kale as Mountain Vista Middle School’s new principal.
Kale is a veteran school administrator with more than 20 years of experience in education.
After a decade as a lawyer, Kale went back to school to earn his teaching credential in 2004.
Since then, he has spent his career as an educator in Mendocino County, first as an English teacher, then as a school principal, and most recently as a district superintendent/principal.
He says he loves middle school because students are at an age where they are discovering what they are all about.
“Middle school is a time to try on every hat, to find out what you like, what you’re good at, and what you want to get better at. When kids ask me which club they should join, I tell them, ‘All of the ones you’re interested in.’ When they ask what sport they should go out for, I tell them, ‘Pick one for every season,’” he said.
Kale uses humor and positivity to encourage students to work hard in whatever they do, be it academics, sports or other extracurriculars.
“I want each student to succeed. I’m always looking for ways to support kids in their goals,” he explained. He went on to share his desire to be part of a community of staff and parents who are dedicated to continually learning, collaborating, and helping students thrive, describing education as a “team sport.”
He said he has an open-door policy and welcomes questions and ideas. His contact information is available via the MVMS website.
“We are so glad Rick has joined our administrative team,” said Kelseyville Unified School District Superintendent Dr. Nicki Thomas said. “His positive attitude and excitement for working with kids makes him a good fit in a district where students come first.”
While he certainly sees the need for boundaries — these are middle schoolers, after all — he is a proponent of positive behavior interventions and support, or PBIS, a framework that focuses on helping children better understand how their actions affect others with the overall goal of creating a consistent, predictable and safe learning environment for all students.
As principal, he wants to reconnect staff to the joy of helping students grow and learn. He also hopes that by modeling his love-to-learn approach, he will create an environment where students and staff constantly ask themselves, “What can I learn next?” and “How can I make this even better?”
He believes many students take their cues from how the adults around them respond to adversity. When he is faced with a challenge, he says he often gets excited about how he can make things better.
He said he is looking forward to moving to Kelseyville and getting to know the community. He likes what he has seen so far: beautiful natural resources, friendly people, and educators dedicated to excellence.
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- Written by: LAKE COUNTY NEWS REPORTS
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